Rogier van der Weyden

1390-1464

Rogier van der Weyden painted religious altarpieces and portraits of extraordinary emotional intensity from his workshop in Brussels, where he served as official painter from 1436 until his death in 1464. Born in Tournai around 1399 or 1400, he trained under Robert Campin and quickly surpassed his teacher, becoming the most celebrated painter in Northern Europe by mid-century. His works—rendered in rich, warm colors with remarkable technical sophistication—were exported to Italy and Spain, and commissioned by the Burgundian court, the Medici, and Spanish royalty. Though he left no self-portraits, his expressive style profoundly influenced European art. By the 17th century his reputation faded, but he was rediscovered in the 19th century and is now recognized alongside Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin as a founding master of Early Netherlandish painting and the most influential Northern painter of the 15th century.